Dave Mackall stories, Page 23
Greensburg Salem grad Madison Cassidy finds early success in pool at Saint Vincent
There are no lofty goals. Really, there never have been for Madison Cassidy when she’d be jumping into a pool of water. She just likes to swim. But Cassidy, a four-time WPIAL place-winner in the 100 breaststroke for Greensburg Salem, is absolutely loving the sport these days as a freshman...
Duquesne’s Tess Myers displaying similar skills to a former Dukes basketball player, her father
Another Myers is at it again at Duquesne. Did someone say “Sonar?” Reminiscent of another era when Burrell’s own Joey “Sonar” Myers would heat up from long range for the Dukes men’s basketball team, daughter Tess flashed a little “Sonar” of her own some 40 years later in a recent...
Greensburg Central Catholic senior quartet earns all-WPIAL volleyball honors
After falling short of the PIAA playoffs in 2020, the Greensburg Central Catholic girls volleyball team didn’t let it happen again this season. Not that the Centurions were crazy about the final picture — they couldn’t get past the Class A quarterfinals — but if ever a GCC team looked...
Duquesne rolls past UC Irvine in LeBron James’ high school gym
AKRON, Ohio — Somewhere, “King James” probably was smiling. Some 6 hours to the west, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were preparing to play an NBA game Sunday night in Chicago against the Bulls, while at his old high school stomping grounds, James’ former coach at St. Vincent-St....
Strength of bond between Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot, LeBron James on display from Ohio to Oregon
Whenever Keith Dambrot is on the subject of basketball, he’s bound to throw out an occasional LeBron James reference. In the days leading up to this weekend, Dambrot was uttering the NBA superstar’s name a bit more often as he prepared his Duquesne Dukes to face UC Irvine on Sunday...
Freshman guides Duquesne to victory in final seconds
Upon entering UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, an air of anticipation was everywhere Saturday. Duquesne fans — a sparse crowd, no less — were wondering how their beloved and longsuffering Dukes would respond against New Hampshire following a third consecutive loss, a 20-point beatdown at DePaul four days earlier. “We were OK...
Greensburg Central Catholic girls hang on vs. Mt. Pleasant
Chris Skatell, in his coaching debut at Greensburg Central Catholic, beat longtime pal Scott Giacobbi of Latrobe on Friday night, and Skatell said the Centurions were fortunate to come out on top on the opening night of high school girls basketball. Bailey Kuhns scored 17 points, Natalie Ward collected all...
Pitt volleyball wins Sweet 16 matchup vs. Kansas
Over the years, Pitt has a losing record in the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament, but lately, the Panthers have been winning there at a monumental clip. So much so they’re one step from reaching a Final Four in the sport for the first time in the school’s history after brushing...
Robert Morris defeats Lancaster Bible to finally get in win column
When you’re 0-7, any victory is a good one. After opening its men’s basketball schedule with seven losses, Robert Morris finally put a game in the win column Wednesday night, dominating Lancaster Bible, 99-51, in just its second game of the season at UPMC Events Center. Lancaster Bible is an...
Ligonier Valley coach reflects on up-and-down football season
Two years of football are in the books in Ligonier Valley’s return to the WPIAL after a 50-year run as a member of District 6, where the Rams had established themselves as a consistent contender for the PIAA playoffs. Ligonier Valley reached the District 6 Class 2A championship game each...
Road gets tougher as Pitt basketball preps for ACC opener at Virginia
No matter what the Pitt basketball team has been through this season — good or bad — coach Jeff Capel is adamant about the Panthers not dwelling on it. Not with the ACC opener looming Friday night at Virginia. “We had a really good practice today, attitudes have been good,...
Duquesne stumbles late, loses to Bowling Green
For 13 seasons, Keith Dambrot’s basketball teams at Akron were fed a steady diet of Mid-American Conference opponents, among them Bowling Green — indeed, no stranger to Duquesne’s fifth-year coach. On Wednesday night, Bowling Green was Duquesne’s opposition at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, where Dambrot was facing his first MAC opponent...
With 4 starters returning, Latrobe girls basketball planning winning encore
Four starters return this season to the Latrobe girls basketball team, which looks to defend its section title after a mad scramble for first place saw the Class 5A Wildcats come out on top last year by the thinnest of margins in the WPIAL Section 4 standings. Latrobe, whose 9-1...
Young Latrobe boys basketball roster looks to overachieve again
Ask Latrobe boys basketball coach Brad Wetzel to name something his teams do well from year to year. The answer might surprise you. They “overachieve.” Take last year’s squad. That group quite possibly outdid them all, according to Wetzel, who enters his 19th season as coach of the Wildcats. “Those...
WCCC working to rebuild men’s, women’s basketball programs
The goal of the Westmoreland County Community College men’s basketball team, simply put, is to be competitive. Then, perhaps, the victories will come. “We’re getting better in practice,” coach William Tyler Johnson said. “I’m not trying to control too much right now. It’s all just about teaching, having the guys...
Duquesne shakes off slow start, holds off American in home return
Duquesne’s growing pains continued Sunday in the team’s first basketball game since returning last week from a 1-2 showing at the Paradise Jam tournament. What’s encouraging, at least, for the fresh-faced Dukes is the final result. Mercer transfer Leon Ayers III tied his season-high with 23 points and freshman Primo...
Veteran lineup looking toward big things ahead for Greensburg Salem girls basketball
Rick Klimchock doesn’t need to be reminded of how quickly a basketball season can go south — even with a veteran team. Last year, his Greensburg Salem girls returned four starters, yet the team finished the season under .500. “Last year was a hard year for us,” he said. It...
With bolstered roster, Greensburg Salem boys look to move past difficult season
A year ago, the Greensburg Salem boys basketball team was hit with the “perfect storm” for a winless season with the cancellation of seven games because of covid-19 while moving up to the WPIAL’s highest classification. A year later, coach Mark Zahorchak is hopeful for some calm. “Last year’s struggles...
9th-seeded OLSH knocks off conference rival Rochester in Class A semifinals
For Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, a one-point victory goes a long way when you get this far. The Chargers are headed all the way to Heinz Field next week to play in the WPIAL Class A championship game for the second time in four years after edging Rochester,...
Seton Hill men’s basketball looking for turnaround season
Downplaying a last-place prediction by his coaching peers in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division, Kendrick Saunders chooses to teach patience to a Seton Hill men’s basketball team that was itching to get back on the court after a season of inactivity. The Griffins, with three games in four...
Seton Hill women’s basketball gets early start on 2021-22 season
When the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference coaches cast their ballots this year for the league’s preseason women’s basketball poll, Seton Hill’s Mark Katarski again was among those with a vote. Not swayed by the predictions that landed Seton Hill fifth among nine teams in the PSAC West Division, Katarski instead...
Saint Vincent’s young lineup prepares for PAC men’s basketball schedule
Shortly after the Presidents’ Athletic Conference men’s basketball coaches picked Saint Vincent to finish eighth among the league’s 10 teams, the Bearcats proceeded to lose their regular-season opener by 60 points. Mt. Union, which began the season ranked No. 21 in NCAA Division III, made sure of it with a...
Defending PAC champion Saint Vincent again favored to claim women’s basketball title
It appears it could be another typical season in women’s basketball at Saint Vincent. The Bearcats are overwhelming favorites to repeat as Presidents’ Athletic Conference champions after completing an abbreviated 10-0 schedule a year ago, capped by a victory over Washington & Jefferson in the PAC Tournament championship game. “Typical...
Duquesne falls short against Weber State
It was another step in a learning process for a new Duquesne basketball team trying to find a successful formula in the early going. Baby steps. “We’re consistently inconsistent right now,” coach Keith Dambrot said. Koby McEwen scored 21 points and Dillon Jones had 12 points and 13 rebounds to...
Duquesne men fall into early hole, lose at home to Hofstra
After just two college basketball games, Duquesne’s rebuilt men’s team already is finding out a lot of things about itself, and it’s not all bad. “I respect our team’s fight,” freshman guard Primo Spears said. “We have freshman guards who have played two college games. You know what I mean?”...
